A Broward County woman is accused of fraudulently applying for COVID-19 loans for her medical spa business and using the money to lease a Bentley Bentayga and go shopping at the luxury Bal Harbour Shops in Miami Beach, federal prosecutors said Thursday. Cassandra Yolanda Clarke, 45, of Miramar, made her initial appearance in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday. She faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering, federal court records show. Prosecutors allege in the indictment that Clarke... Read More
Man pleads guilty to kidnapping Lyft driver, forcing her to drive to South Florida
A man who was arrested in Broward County in August has pleaded guilty to kidnapping a Lyft driver in Texas and forcing her to drive to South Florida, where he said he intended to kidnap a social media influencer in order to demand a multi-million dollar ransom. Miguel Alejandro Pastran Hernandez, 24, pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to kidnapping, carjacking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. He faces up to life in prison, federal prosecutors said in a news... Read More
1 Broward restaurant ordered shut, with violations including roaches, rodent droppings & food debris
The state temporarily shut just one Broward County restaurant last week, with violations including roaches, rodent droppings and accumulation of food debris. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here. Originally Published: December 5, 2024 at 3:55 PM EST ... Read More
Wall Street parties like it’s 1998 as AI fuels gains unmatched since dot-com era
By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The S&P 500 is on track to close 2024 with a gain of nearly 27%, after setting 50 record highs this year. That’s on top of its 24.2% spurt the year before, a spectacular two-year run unmatched since the dot-com boom. This time around, it’s not dot-com stocks boosting the market but skyrocketing prices for companies in the artificial-intelligence business. Nvidia, for example, has more than doubled in value after surging over three... Read More
Despite another cold front, South Florida gears up for a weekend warmup
The start of December in South Florida was unseasonably cool, but a gradual warmup has followed. We’ll have dry and warmer weather until the next cold front passes through. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here. Originally Published: December 5, 2024 at 1:51 PM EST ... Read More
Looking for the best sushi in South Florida? Here’s our readers’ choice winner!
For the November installment of our Best of South Florida Dining series, we asked readers: Who makes the best sushi in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties? Now we have a winner. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here. Originally Published: December 5, 2024 at 11:56 AM EST ... Read More
Trump picks Jared Kushner’s father as ambassador to France
President-elect Donald Trump says he is nominating Charles Kushner, his son-in-law’s father, to be ambassador to France, marking a reversal of Kushner’s public standing after he served time in prison nearly two decades ago. Kushner, whose son Jared is married to Ivanka Trump, went to jail in 2005 for fraud, tax evasion and witness tampering. His crime generated national headlines long before his Trump connection because it included paying a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law. It... Read More
Not feeling the Christmas vibe? Here are some South Florida yuletide shows to help get you there
It’s the weather. No matter how hard you yearn for yuletide, it can be a little tricky to cuddle up to the Christmas spirit here in the subtropics where a December cold snap means highs of 70 degrees. (Brrrr … says the rest of the country in a sarcastic Grinchy tone.) So if you need a little help getting merry, here’s a list of holiday-themed musicals, ballets, plays, concerts and other shows that have come to sleigh in Palm Beach and Broward counties. Through Dec. 22 —... Read More
A gambling underworld: Players and police accuse illegal Florida casinos of cheating
Illegal casinos are accused of manipulating slot machines and stiffing winners, a Sun Sentinel investigation found. Gambling addicts report losing retirement money and considering suicide. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here. Originally Published: December 5, 2024 at 7:11 AM EST ... Read More
Asking Eric: My wife was accused of crashing the wedding, and now there’s all this drama
Dear Eric: I’m 65 and have always had a cordial but not loving relationship with my 64-year-old sister, as our parents never encouraged their children to be loving to one another. Last month, my nephew was married in a civil ceremony at my sister’s Midwest home due to an immigration requirement relating to his now-wife. Because we received notice of the date of the wedding one month before the ceremony, I could not get coverage at work. Thus, my wife and daughter attended in my... Read More